It has been over twenty years since my mother died of ovarian cancer. I’ve lived an incredible life since she died: I’ve gotten married, given birth to two amazing children, enjoyed an exciting career in TV news, published four books, and I’m about to publish my fifth. Despite not being here, she’s never left me.
I’ve never stopped #rememberinglynn, yet I did something different this year to mark the anniversary. I used Facebook to invite family and friends to share their memories with me and with each other.
First, I changed my profile photo to a picture of my mother and me. The swap was a visual cue something different was happening and my Facebook friends should (hopefully!) pay attention. Next, I wrote a brief status update about the milestone, tagged people who knew her best, and encouraged everyone to post a favorite recollection. The result? A virtual celebration of her life!
This is a screenshot of a fraction of what my personal page looked like, all those likes and comments filled my heart with such joy:
Technology is the low-hanging fruit of memory-keeping. My experience was uplifting and deeply heartening. If you were part of this movement, I thank you so very much. If you are inspired by the idea, don’t feel you have to wait until the anniversary of your loved one’s passing to act on it. You could invite comments on your loved one’s birthday or any other special occasion. Let the feedback you get fill you with happiness and dozens of good memories.